Ladder and guard for sleeping-car berths



(No Model.)

s. OULLEN & o. GDBROWN. LADDER AND GUARD FOR SLEEPING CAR BERTHS.

No. 401,418. Patented Apr. 16, 1889.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON CULLEN AND CARVER C. BROWN, OF ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA.

LADDER AND GUARD FOR SLEEPING-CAR BERTHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nd. 401,418, dated April 16, 1889.

I Application filed July 24, 1888. Serial No. 280,895- [No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SIMON CULLEN and CARVER 0. BROWN, of Alexandria, in the parish of Rapides and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Folding Ladder and Guard for Sleeping-Berths, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a ladder attachment for sleeping-berths, and has for its object to provide a ladder by means of which a person can readily get into and out of a berth, which can be used as a guard to keep a person from falling out of a berth, and which can be folded up out of the way when not in use.

The invention consists in a ladder attachment for sleeping-berths constructed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a view of a ladder in extended position from a berth, and constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a view thereof secured lengthwise to the side of the berth and serving as a guard to prevent the occupant of the berth from falling out.

This invention is intended to obviate the difliculty in getting in and out of the upper berths of ships, steamboats, sleeping-cars, &c., and is adapted to be used with folding berths, and folded up with the berth when not in use.

1 indicates a folding ladder with steps 2, having their folded ends 3 engaging staples 4 in the uprights 5 of the ladder, thereby forming hinges, so that the steps and uprights maybe folded up together in either direction. The ladder l is preferably made of metal, so as to be strong and durable, the metal being thin enough to render the ladder sufficiently light.

The ladder l is attached to a berth, 6, by means of a chain, 7, connected at one end to a metallic plate, 8, secured to the inside of the berth and at the other end to one of the uprights 5 of the ladder. The chain 7 is of a sufiicient length to permit the ladder 1 to be swung over the side of the berth. When the ladder is not required for use, it may be folded up and placed in the berth beneath the mattress.

When it is desired to ascend into or descend from the berth, the ladder is suspended from the side of the berth by chain 7 and a hook, 9, on the other upright, 5, which engages the edge of the bunk or berth.

To use the ladder as a guard to prevent the occupant of the berth from falling out, the ladder is extended along the edge of the berth and is secured thereto by pins 10, pivoted on the inside of the berth and engaging holes 11 in the adjacent upright 5, and by means of the hook 9 engaging the perforated end 12 of an arm, 13, pivoted to the inside of the berth- Vvhen the pins 10 andarm 13 are not in use, they may be folded up inside of the berth. In this position the ladder is held in partly-unfolded position by hook 9, as shown, thereby forming a barrier or guard to prevent the occupant of the berth from falling out.

By means of this invention as set forth it will be seen that a convenient and useful device is provided for getting in and out of upper berths and for retaining the occupant in the berth.

While we have set forth a specific construction of parts, we do not intend to limit ourselves thereto, as the parts may be varied without departing from the essential features of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a sleeping-berth, of a folding ladder and detachable guard for the edge of the'berth, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a sleeping-berth, of a folding ladder and jointed connection by means of which the ladder may be swung in and out of and suspended from the berth, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the berth 6, having pivoted arm 13, with perforated end 12 at the end of the berth and pivoted pins 10 at and a chain connecting one of the uprights with the inside of the berth, and a hook on the other upright adapted to engage the edge of the berth, substantially as shown and de scribed.

SIMON CULLEN. CARVER 0. BROWN. Witnesses:

R. M. KILPATRICK, D. V. WAFFORD. 

